Ron, I wish I could bring you! It's almost a waste to bring my husband to the dinner because he's not as into this as I am.

From the Associated Press today on the Ferran Adria front:

Ferran Adria to teach at Harvard

Spanish celebrity chef Ferran Adria is coming to Harvard.

Adria, 47, is teaming up with Harvard University to offer an
undergraduate course in culinary physics. He'll begin teaching in the
fall at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the
university announced today. His course will use cooking to introduce
students to soft matter physics, which involves the study of
suspensions and gels.

Adria is at the forefront of a cuisine called molecular gastronomy --
a kind of fusion of kitchen and science lab. Ingredients such as agar
agar (a type of gel that comes from seaweed), sodium alginate (a
powder used to thicken food) and carrageenan (a seaweed extract) are
used to mold food in unconventional ways. Foams, warm jellies and
liquid nitrogen all play their parts.

His course will feature lectures by Harvard researchers and 12
celebrity chefs and food experts, including Wylie Dufresne, a New York
chef whose innovations with molecular gastronomy have earned him a
global following; Jose Andres, whose eatery in Washington has helped
popularize the Spanish bar food known as tapas in the United States;
and chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill, a pricey but understated New York
restaurant that champions locally grown produce.

Adria announced this year that he's closing his acclaimed elBulli
restaurant for a while to tinker with new ideas for molecular cuisine.
The restaurant, which boasts the highest rating of three stars in the
Michelin guide, a mark of exceptional cuisine, will close to the
public in 2012 and 2013 but will continue to serve as a research lab.
It will reopen in 2014. Adria says his goal is to break the molds that
determine what food should look or feel like.

-- Associated Press

Jean- It's been a couple of years, but I've been to the coastal town of Cadaques several times. I recommend a visit, even a couple of nights if you have the time. It's not too many miles past Roses, and is a charming beach town that has been written up in all the major travel mags, but isn't overly touristy due to it's relative inaccessibility. The area to the north, Cap de Creus, has some stunning landscape (where Salvador Dali got a lot of his inspiration apparently.) Just north of the border, you can also drive up to Collioure, France, another picturesque village.

Of course, Barcelona will be a highlight, I would spend most of your time there (not sure how long your trip is.)

Hi, again. We are making a week of it - flying into London, then Lyon, renting a car to visit my husband's grandmother in Dijon, then driving across France to Roses. Staying at the Almodraba (sp?) -- has anyone been there?

I'm going to try to tweet through the meal. Also interested in Rafa's the night before -- did you make a phone reservation in advance?

Denny

Denny,

If I can make a friendly suggestion, why don't you NOT tweet during your meal? Why don't you think about what you are eating and then afterwords give us your thoughtful impressions. May the only blackberry at El Bulli be on your plate.

I'm sure that there are some uses for tweeting (although I confess that I haven't found one yet), but considered judgments are not among them. (Of course, should you choose, some of us can wait for those deeper thoughts).

Enjoy.

We were in Madrid about a week before we got to Roses. I had our hotel in Madrid call Rafa's to make a reservation.

FWIW, I would also advise against tweeting during the meal. Enjoy it. Reflect on it. Then put your thoughts down in writing if you're so inspired. If you put yourself 100% in the moment it will be a much more enjoyable experience.

So, having had so much help from this forum, I wanted to let those of you who wish view my photographs and comments on El Bulli. (We also had a divine meal at Rafa's, but I haven't yet worked on my photos.) Thanks again!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23034274@N02/sets/72157624319477888/

Wow am I jealous!!!! My wife is from Spain and we have been trying to get into El Bulli for years but have never got a reservation when we could make it to Roses. Denny, if you are still into dining around Barcelona here are some GREAT restaurants that I have dined at which I would highly recommend:

El Celler de Can Roca Got its 3rd star 2010!
Catalan chef Joan Roca earned his third star 2010. Worth a visit and easier (for the moment) to get a table than in El Bulli.
Menu: from € 90
Address: Can Sunyer 48
Phone: +34 972 22 21 57

Sant Pau
Excellent restaurant 30 km north of Barcelona. Book in advance, it tends to be full.
Menu: €99
Address: Nou 10. (Sant Pol de Mar)
Phone: +34 93 760 06 62

Can Fabes
Located about one hour's drive outside Barcelona. The head chef is one of the most famous chefs in Spain: Santi Santamaria.
Menu: €129
Address: Sant Joan, 6 (Sant Celoni)
Phone: +34 93867 28 51

Also find an Asador for roasted lamb as you will NOT be disappointed and a good morning breakfast is in the Mercat on Las Ramblas (visit Pinocho) for some morning tripes! My family is in San Sebastian right now and I am stuck here working!!!
If you get across the country go for the Pinchos in the Basque country...you will not be disappointed!

Nice photos and thanks for sharing everyone!
John

Thank you so much for sharing your photos with us. I am intrigued. I had to laugh when you said the waiter said to eat from left to right. I wondered if they had any suggestions on which side of your mouth to chew your food on! (Just joking!) I think you should use the photo with the rose between your teeth for facebook. Finally, I would have tried to eat the clam too! I mean every other shell was edible! Where was the waiter who gave eating directions! Loved it all. Thanks again!

Wonderful photos - it was almost, although not quite, like being there.

I'm going to be in Palo Alto next academic year (from September on), if you ever want a dining companion at Coi or Manresa (or elsewhere), pm me.

dennypcw--
Thanks for sharing your pics of El Bulli--I also really enjoyed the commentary (especially the part about eating the shells of the seafood dessert--sounds like something I would do). Sounds like an amazing experience (and if I never get there, at least I got to live vicariously through you and jesteinf.

Thank you all for your kind comments on my photos. I was lucky to have an excellent camera that made taking the photos easy (Panasonic Lumix Z6, in case anyone is interested - got it at Costco on sale for $239 and it's the best point-and-shoot I've ever had). The waitstaff at El Bulli were wonderful about accommodating my requests to photograph dishes before we ate them.

I still can't believe we got one of the coveted reservations. I actually happened to talk to the guy who manages that process, one Luis Garcia, and he said he hopes people realize that it is somewhat random, but that regular people (like me) do get in. He also said that he's looking forward to the two-year hiatus, which he intends to use to read books instead of thousands of reservation requests.

We live in San Francisco, right near the Bay Bridge, and are happy to dine with foodie visitors. Feel free to send messages. I am also on a great food and wine lovers mailing list, and have had several terrific meals with out of towners, and also when I am on the road.

Denny

I'm writing this from Barcelona, and I will shortly be posting on my visit (well, probably not so shortly). For the final season at El Bulli, Ferran Adria is serving 42 courses (you read that correctly). In addition 41 Degrees Adria's cocktail lounge is now open (where I had the best cocktail of my life). But generally it seemed to me at both El Bulli and at Celler de Can Roca the chefs are taking a step back from the more experimental side of molecular cuisine. At this point these chefs are incorporating the modern techniques, but the techniques are not the purpose of the dishes. More later.

While El Bulli is closing, Adria will continue to cook for guests on occasions. How that will work is not clear.

You guys are sooooo lucky! A good friend of mine is going to be in Barcelona before el Bulli closes. The website says not to even e-mail for reservations, but do you think there is a chance to get a table for one?


anyway...great thread...congrats on getting in!

Dan

Adria is very firm about only serving 50 diners/night. There is, of course, no harm in emailing, but I would suggest that your friend should call at about 10 a.m. everyday that he is in Barcelona. Of course, if he knows someone who might know someone who might know someone . . .

Seeing as how the restaurant is going to be open a little while longer, it seems foolish for him not to try.

Thanks for the advice!
Dan

Soon I hope to post about my dinner at El Bulli (and Celler de Can Roca), but today I want to start with the new cocktail bar that Ferran and his his brother Albert Adria have opened in Barcelona, 41 Degrees (the latitude of Barcelona). They will follow the cocktail bar with Tickets, a tapas restaurant next door. As El Bulli closes 41 Degrees and Tickets will keep alive some of the classic tastes (if one can call food at El Bulli classic - perhaps classic, but not classical).

41 Degrees is a very stylist space - cool, glassy, and aqua. Not at all retro (and of course Spain did not suffer through Prohibition - suffering through Franco's fascism was quite sufficient).


41 Degrees Barcelona by garyalanfine, on Flickr


41 Degrees Barcelona by garyalanfine, on Flickr


41 Degrees Barcelona by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Most of the drinks currently available on the menu at 41 Degrees are classical cocktails: Negroni, Aviator, Cosmopolitan. However, the 'tenders will make a drink if asked. I love Manhattans, but also was intrigued by the Aviator, and so received an astonishing cocktail that beautifully combined the two. It has no name, but it deserves on: I'll call it the LaGuardia: it was a mix of single malt vodka, bourbon, creme de violette, peychauds bitters, honey and orange juice. Perhaps it was my jet lag, but I was flying. It was a beautiful mix of sweet, bitter, caramel, and flowers. That this concoction was newly minted was quite astonishing.


41 Degrees Barcelona - Off the menu Cocktail by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Along with drinks one can order oysters as well a dozen El Bulli-inspired bar snacks (although using El Bulli and bar snack in the same sentence seems sacrilegious). I selected Adria's powerful spherical olive, pure olive liquid in a gel sac; a parmesan ice cream sandwich (intense cheesy ice cream and crackers), robust lime marshmallows, and pistachio embedded in sugared yogurt (sweet and pretty). Soon going to Barcelona will require seeing monuments Gaudi, Dali, and Adria. Degree 41 is a good place to experience (a bit of) the Adria magic.


41 Degrees Barcelona - Spherical Liquid Olive by garyalanfine, on Flickr


41 Degrees Barcelona - Parmesan Ice Cream Sandwich with Parmesan Biscuits by garyalanfine, on Flickr


41 Degrees Barcelona - Lime Marshmallows by garyalanfine, on Flickr


41 Degrees Barcelona - Pistachio with Yogurt by garyalanfine, on Flickr

I was able to peek into the construction of Tickets, the Adria brothers tapas bar, which, as everything the brothers touch, bears watching.


41 Degrees Barcelona - Interior of Tickets as of February 2011 by garyalanfine, on Flickr

41 Degrees
164 Paral.lel
Barcelona

Vealcheeks

At some point I will posting an essay on El Bulli, but as it may take some time, I wanted to share my photos. You will wish to see the evidence rather than my babblings. We were served 42 courses in this last year of El Bulli on a menu that emphasized winter provisions, such as black truffles and game (hare and woodcock). I was impressed in examining Josh's photos and from comments by those who had dined at El Bulli before that the meal was less experiment, but almost restrained. It was not that there were no molecular dishes, but some of the striving for the new was less evident. Yes, this was "cuisine agape," a cuisine of amazement, but simultaneously it spoke to traditions in cuisine. Even Adria's new found classicism is not Escoffier's as Grant Achatz may soon demonstrate. Actually I have come to prefer dishes that are astonishingly simply, rather than those that strive for aerial acrobatics. Of the 42 courses, I would not wish to taste all again (there tofu tiramisu I could do without and the sugar cane was less than compelling), but other dishes were evocative and will live as long as I do in my memory. Ferran Adria is one of the few true geniuses in the culinary world (Grant Achatz is another), even when his ideas do not pan out.

With forty-two courses the meal permitted sets of courses, creating musical variations on a theme: we had a set of mojito courses, a set of shrimp courses. nut courses, truffle courses, Mexican courses, and game courses. And sometimes we would revisit a theme. I have had better courses, but with a very, very exceptions, never a better meal. With fifty cooks, twenty-five servers, and fifty diners, service was splendid. One of the eight of us could not eat raw fish or shellfish, meat, or liquor. For many restaurants this would be a problem. But her forty-two courses (about half were different) were just as proficient as ours. As is evident, Adria is not a star when it comes to plating - only a few dishes are beautiful on the plate and some are (perhaps deliberately) sloppy - he cares about the theory of taste, the idea of the gustatory senses. In that he is the master.

Even with 42 courses and 6 bottles of wine (for seven of us), we were not stuffed after five hours (but no pizza on the way home)


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 by garyalanfine, on Flickr


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 by garyalanfine, on Flickr


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Here is the man himself greeting his guests


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Ferran Adria by garyalanfine, on Flickr

An elegant start to the mojito theme.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Ginger and Lime Candi by garyalanfine, on Flickr

A warm and minty mojito


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Warm Caipi-Mojito by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Mojito 3.0 - a mojito sandwich, very playful


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Mojito and Apple Flute by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Moving from mojito to nuts with the almond fizz


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Almond-Fizz with Amarena by garyalanfine, on Flickr

A beautiful dish using ingredients that would challenge other chefs.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Nori Seaweed with Lemon by garyalanfine, on Flickr

The olive oil chip was masterful. It could be found nowhere but El Bulli.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 Olive Oil Chip with Parmesan "Macaron" by garyalanfine, on Flickr

An early dessert - and an ode to nuts


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Peanut and Honey Cookie by garyalanfine, on Flickr

More nuts, and the start of the Latin theme.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Hibiscus and Peanut by garyalanfine, on Flickr

As good a ravioli as I have had. Nuts!


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Pistachio Ravioli by garyalanfine, on Flickr

One of Adria's best dishes. Simple and so clever and so shrimpy. Beautiful. I won't forget this, ever.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Shrimp Tortilla by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Classic shrimp.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Boiled Shrimp by garyalanfine, on Flickr

The third (and fourth) shrimp - with an intense "soup"


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Prawn Two Firings by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Another amazing and simple dish. Four dabs of carrot and one dab of peppery carrot (it is number four). Wonderful.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Quails with Carrot Escabeche by garyalanfine, on Flickr

A pure palate cleanser


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Tomato Tartar by garyalanfine, on Flickr

My least favorite - a bit of a mess, and not pretty. There has to be one worst dish. It just didn't sing.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Soya Tiramisu by garyalanfine, on Flickr

A much better use of soy, each bite had a distinct taste: how did he do this?


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Soya Matches by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Ferran at his most playful: caviar with hazelnut cream. Hazelnut caviar with caviar cream. A very Fat Duck/Moto playful dish. A laugh riot. I wouldn't have it again, but I will talk about it endlessly.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Caviar Cream with Hazelnut Caviar by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Very pleasant "bread" stick, hazelnut style.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Liquid Hazelnut Porra by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Wow. As truffly as things get. The texture matched the dark intensity of the fungus. A great and extravagant use of the black truffle.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Truffle Cake by garyalanfine, on Flickr

A play on fish cuisine with endive. A good and light dish.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Endive in Papillote 50% by garyalanfine, on Flickr

In contrast to the above dish, an uber-rich cake.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Foie Cake by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Simple. Classic. And as good as cheese gets in the hands of a master.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - San Felicienne (cheese) Blini by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Fun as a quicky. I prefer eels more robustly prepared, but it was an aquatic palate cleanser.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Steamed Eels by garyalanfine, on Flickr

A dish of sublime complexity. Part of the Latin sequence


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Lulo "Ceviche" and Mollusk by garyalanfine, on Flickr

What a beautiful dish. Iced gazpacho with prime olive oil. Adria removes all of the color (how?), but leaves in all of the taste. It would be the best dish in July, and pretty amazing in February.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Iced "Gazpacho" and "Ajo Blanco" by garyalanfine, on Flickr

The bridge between the Latin courses and the game courses. A bite size treasure.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Hare Bunuelo by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Soup Starbucks style - finally foam. Note the absence of form (and other oddities) in the rest of the meal.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Game Meat Capuccino by garyalanfine, on Flickr

A vegetable dish for the diner who didn't eat meat. I just thought it was so pretty - but not a great photo. (It wasn't part of the game sequence)


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Peas Two Ways by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Game and fruit (with a Latin twist with soursop): lovely dish. Perhaps the best of the game offerings.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Woodcock with Guanabana (Soursop) by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Another fruit and game special. A strong dish as well.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Blackberry Risotto with Game Meat Sauce by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Very intense dish. A fine taste of the wild. Traditional, but also El Bulli style


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Hare Ravioli with Bolonesa (and Blood) by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Sweet blood sauce in a wine glass


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Sweet "Blood" Sauce by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Another in the set of game "soups" with fruit.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Hare Cocktail with Raspberry by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Finally game and nuts - wrapped up in a delicious package. Perfect for snacking.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Hare Chestnut with Liver Puree by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Another treat and trick. One of the jelly beans is salty: a reprise of the quail dish. The best dessert.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Pandang Ice Cream with Coconut Water by garyalanfine, on Flickr

OK. A palate cleanser


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Sugar Cubes with Lime Whiskey Sour by garyalanfine, on Flickr

A second palate cleanser.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Rum Sugar Cane by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Powerfully bitter and sweet. Can chocolate taste so intense?


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Mini-Donuts with 97% Pure Chocolate by garyalanfine, on Flickr

A very enjoyable sweet. It went down easily and quickly


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Coca de Vidre - Crystal Cake - Coconut and Pine nuts by garyalanfine, on Flickr

A strong way to wrap up, reminding us that despite the nods to classicism, Chef Adria created much of modern cuisine that we take for granted.


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - Gold Leaves in Coffee-Chocolate Soil by garyalanfine, on Flickr

The finale! The freeze dried strawberries were particularly notable as was the passionfruit-yogurt sponge


El Bulli - Roses - February 2011 - The "Box" by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Great pics, GAF, thanks! I'm getting excited--going there for dinner March 17 and can't wait. Your pictures have gotten me even more excited; thanks for posting this. Eager to read your essay.

Thanks for the pictures and description! I, also, can't wait to read your essay. My buddy has left tonight for Barcelona, have you got any other food suggestions for him? Anything from fine dining, hole in the wall or street food. It's all about the food!

Thanks again! Have a great time!!!
Dan

I don't believe that Adria's tapas bar, Tickets, is open yet (end of February), but 41 Degrees is worth a visit (see above). Also El Quim at the Boqueria Market has very nice seafood plates (it opens at noon, and to snag a seat without waiting you need to arrive on time). Also Cal Pep was quite a good tapas bar not too far from Ramblas. But the truth is that in Barcelona you need to spend more time to find a bad restaurant. There are more suggestions of places to visit on the Barcelona thread. Time Out Barcelona has a list of ten top restaurants in Barcelona IIRC.

thank you. please enjoy yourself!

dan

Incredible pictures Gary, thanks for sharing.

I think I've read that there are always one or two courses that almost everyone hates (we certainly had at least one, and one other that I didn't hate but I would never want to eat again). That being said, there's no doubt that the best meal I've ever had was at el Bulli. Can't wait to read the rest of your thoughts.

GAF and my lunch were almost exactly 1 week apart. Most of my dishes were the same. But I agree with GAF on the soya tiramisu. Definitely the worst dish that day.

Photos from my lunch are here. With many similar dishes (but some different), I did not want to clutter up this thread with repetitive photos...

The many tiny shrimp on the tortilla was hilarious. I'm assuming it was a one-bite affair. The tortilla, was it egg-based?

Words cannot describe my envy but I really appreciate the beautiful images.

Thanks, Gary!

=R=

IIRC, the shrimp tortilla was larger than one bite. I don't think that it was egg-based. It was crisp, more like a thin chip.

Thoughout the meal I wished that Ronnie was there (I really did think of Ronnie) - both for his wit and for his camera (but I wished for all of the rest of you as well). I only single out R_S for his camera skills.

I devoured that shrimp chip in 5 bites! It was the most intensely shrimp-y cracker I've ever had (and no MSG!)

CrazyC wrote:I devoured that shrimp chip in 5 bites! It was the most intensely shrimp-y cracker I've ever had (and no MSG!)

See, that's what I wasn't seeing. Are the shrimp affixed? Don't the little critters slide to oblivion (the lap) when you bite? Doesn't the cracker crumble?

David Hammond wrote:

CrazyC wrote:I devoured that shrimp chip in 5 bites! It was the most intensely shrimp-y cracker I've ever had (and no MSG!)

See, that's what I wasn't seeing. Are the shrimp affixed? Don't the little critters slide to oblivion (the lap) when you bite? Doesn't the cracker crumble?

Nope... The shrimp were tiny, about the size of a fingernail, and the cracker surface was not smooth. Like a thin parmesan crisp...